I have lived in Clearwater Bay for almost 5 years. The house looks out over Bayside Beach. I have never seen any seabirds during that time, just Little egrets, Common sandpiper and once a solitary Black-winged stilt. Not a single gull or tern. This afternoon I was on the terrace wondering if it would be a good moth night when I saw a few white dots over the water. I got out my scope and turned the magnification up to max and there were about 20 terns over the bay. I raced down to the beach and scrambled along the rocks and got nearer enough for decent scope views - all Black-naped. The photos were still dots and blurred dots at that. There were 2 small fishing boats out and the terns were diving in the same area. This was really a treat for me and proves that a bird doesn't have to be rare to make your day. This was a big "patch tick".
Andrew
[ Last edited by BWA at 9/08/2009 15:21 ] Author: gary Time: 9/08/2009 00:05
I also saw more than 50 Black-naped tern and a few Roseate Tern in Inner Port Shelter today(8-8-09).
Some of those were chasing fishing boat.
Gary Author: BWA Time: 9/08/2009 15:24
13 Black-naped Terns were resting at a marker post off Sai Kung Pier this morning (9 Aug 09). I believe they were passing through Hong Kong.
13 隻黑枕燕鷗今天（9/8/09）早上停在西貢碼頭對出的導航標杆上，相信是過境鳥。
Author: handrew Time: 9/08/2009 17:19
The Clearwater Bay flock is up to 31 this afternoon - I'm not sure whether they are followign the fishing boats or the boats are following them! Author: kmike Time: 9/08/2009 19:38
Great stuff Andrew
This is what makes patch birding so interesting - I had 64 Little Egrets fly over my place in Lam Tsuen this evening - big news to see so many here!
Another possible explanation (if they are not migrants) is that the Black-naped Terns may have finished breeding somewhere narby and find Sai Kung Harbour a good area to feed.
Cheers
Mike K
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